This offshoot of a popular Montclair restaurant opened in October, and from the response, it seems Summit has been waiting breathlessly for a place specializing in fresh oysters, wood-grilled fish and a raft of other seafood offerings.

The former quarters of Bona Vita Osteria, which seats a few more than 50, seems too small for the demand.

"It’s been overwhelming," agreed Gerry Cerrigone, who owns the place with Robert Gaccione and chef Michael Juliano, whose résumé includes the late, lamented South City Grill.

The menu mirrors that of the original Fin, which has a larger space. The decor is similar, with weathered gray wallboards, lights caged by loosely woven burlap, light wood tables and dishtowel napkins. It all imparts a rustic nautical feel, rather than the in-your-face cutesy favored by many seafood purveyors. There’s also an eight-seat first-come, first-served "bar" (Fin is a bring-your-own-wine establishment) facing the open kitchen.

The server asked if we wanted bread, which I thought was unusual but perhaps not a bad idea. The feature of the bread basket, a sweet and spicy cornbread, crumbled when I tried to dip it in the white bean mixture that came with it. The only knife available was a steak knife, not really suitable for spreading anything on bread.

Starters represent a bevy of possibilities, with fresh oysters (market price) at the head of the list, along with a seafood tower ($26) for the ambitious eater or a group that wants to dive into a gathering of shrimp, oysters, clams and caviar. My recommendation is the classic New England clam chowder ($8), luxuriously thick (but not gluey), full of clams and flavored with applewood smoked bacon.

The crab cake ($15/26) is properly meaty, with corn salad on the side, while the spring roll ($14) bursts with shrimp and lobster.

If you fancy a sharing dish to start, you won’t go wrong with the lobster macaroni and cheese ($12). Piled high in an iron frying pan and dotted with good-sized chunks of lobster, it offers enough for three or four people.

While you can get by on starters, sharing dishes and salads, there also is plenty to offer among entrees. Of particular interest is a selection of olive oil/lemon/caper-marinated wood-grilled fish, with its unique finish. Cod ($25), salmon ($24) and swordfish ($27) are among the choices.

The signature dish is sliced 7-spiced bigeye tuna ($32), with soba noodles and stir-fried vegetables. But other items have their own allure. How about fish and chips ($24)?

The portions of lobster and shrimp served in the Shanghai style entree ($32), featuring a rather scant and bland ginger curry sauce, were cooked to absolutely the right degree, though the "crispy spinach" turned to be anything but. It was so oily it ruined the dish. Oddly, the seafood was served over slender shoestring potato sticks. They really aren’t finger food, and it seemed awkward to be eating them with a fork.

The interior of Fin Raw Bar and KitchenAlex Remnick/The Star-Ledger

There are a number of options for those who don’t eat seafood, including roasted chicken ($22) and a grilled Niman Ranch pork chop ($24). Patrons requiring gluten-free food should request that their choices be made accordingly. Cerrigone said a separate grill, pans and utensils are used to prepare these dishes.

Desserts ($9) by pastry chef Marie Coviello are outstanding. They include cinnamon-roasted Fuji apple slices, with extra sweetness courtesy of golden raisins, served over a phyllo wafer with vanilla ice cream. The dense, nutty carrot cake is a happy distance from the usual version, with mascarpone whipped cream on the side instead of boring cream cheese icing, and a hazelnut gelato that adds a glitzy note.

In general, service was smooth. What doesn’t work — and I find this at other restaurants, too — is having someone come up to me the moment after I sit down and try to take my order. Give me a chance to look at the menu, okay?

The downside of the environment is the noise that fills the small room. It didn’t seem to matter how many people were on hand. Even as the evening drew to a close and patrons were leaving, the clamor level still was uncomfortably high.

On-street parking is at a premium in Summit, but there’s a municipal deck conveniently located behind the restaurant.

Fin plans to begin serving lunch this month from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays, and noon to 3 p.m. Saturdays. Call to check before planning a mid-day repast there. If you’re coming on a weekend, be sure to make a reservation well in advance, or you could get lost in the crowd.